Kubota 3010 used

[3rdbase]

Hi guys. I've read all the info on the boards about Kubota and am considering buying a used 3010. Here's the situation. I've got app. 14 acres of open, rolling meadow, very shallow slope, located in central Virginia. It's been in hay for a few years, but I'm trying to improve the soil organic content by just cutting and letting it decompose. We're going to build on it in about 5 years. The local Kubota dealer just took a trade in. He's offering a 1 yr. old L3010 HST with 182 hrs on it. Looks new, no leaks, dents or anything else. It has like new R'4 tires which I prefer for my application, a Kubota LA-481 loader with just a few scratches, a K-1904 canopy and he's including a brand new LandPride RCR-1572 bush hog. The 6' bush hog should be OK with the very gentle slope since it's a 4 wheel drive unit.The price is $16,800. I talked to the previous owner. All he did was lift hay with it by using a fork attatchment which I don't need. The rear PTO has never been used. What do the experts think about this deal. There are no secrets in the shadows, the ex owner just wanted a bigger unit. I think the 3010 is adequate for my purposes. Any opinion sincerely sought and appreciated.
Thanks,
3rdbase

 

[Harv]

3rdbase -

The 3010 is one fine tractor. My first choice when I was shopping, but wound up with a used L2500DT.

I don't know the current pricing on 3010's, but I if you could live with less frills, you can get a similarly equipped L3000DT and implements brand new for about the same price. All depends on if the warranty is an issue for you.

If you do go for the deal (and I can see the attraction), I would reconsider the fork setup. You say you don't need it, but I'll bet you dollars to donuts if you had it, you'd use it a lot more than you think. Forks is handy stuff.

Sounds like you're close to some fun times. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[3rdbase]

Thanks Harv,
There's still two years on the warranty, so I feel comfortable after seeing all your (and the other knowlegeable owner's) posts that any problems will hopefully expose themselves. On the fork issue, it sure looked nice but the dealer said he could do the whole rig for $1000 less if I gave up the fork. He said he had another buyer who really wanted the fork , and $1000 seemed steep for it. Again thanks.

 

[Boondox]

Jump on that deal. Great tractor (I have one myself) and a nice price.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[3rdbase]

Pete,
Thanks. Do you think the 6' mower is OK for my application with a 3010? Ive seen other posts, (Carver et all) that recommend a 5 footer instead. Of the 14 acres, only 4 is on slopy land, and when I mow perpendicular I can limit the slope to 5 percent. I used to own a 1994 Ford 3415. Used it for finish mowing baseball fields in Illinois and had to sell it when we moved. Iand am a tad nervous about the limited PTO HP on these compacts. These boards are exceptional and I sincerely appreciate any opinions from informed, objective tractor drivers.
Regards

 

[Bird]

3rdbase, from your description of what you intend to mow, I'd certainly want a 6' mower with the 3010. I use a 5' mower on my B2710 (just mowed my own pasture yesterday) and for just grass and weeds, instead of brush, I almost wish I had a 6' mower. I keep thinking that someday I'm going to try my neighbor's 7' one on the 2710 (I know I couldn't pick it up on the 3-point without some counterweight on the front end).

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>LandPride RCR-1572 bush hog. The 6' bush hog should be OK with the very gentle slope since it's a 4 wheel drive unit.</font color=blue>

Tom,

The Kubota 3010 is a super compact... but not for a 6' rotary cutter. {Recommend 5' Max. rotary cutter, 6' finish mower}

You would find out in 5 minutes or less, testing those components on your property... that you would seriously be underpowered {26 PTO HP} using a 6' rotary cutter attacking real brush... not grass.

Even on your old Ford 3415 with 38 PTO HP, you'd have a challenge using a 6' rotary cutter doing some serious brush hogging.

Without offending anyone, I think that particular Landpride 6' cutter is only a grade above a "finish mower" and a very light duty rotary cutter, maybe up to 1" stuff?/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

If you really have your heart set on getting this fine Kubota /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif, then do yourself a favor and renegotiate for a 5' Medium duty rotary cutter and 6' finish rear mower for the best of all worlds.

Good luck Tom. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

John, for serious "brush" cutting, I'd agree with you, but for mowing what used to be a hay meadow? A light duty 6' rotary cutter ought to be plenty in my opinion.

Bird

 

[john_bud]

John,

Where did you find those "daazzle" eyes??

No fair, you always get the "good stuff"! /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

(Just kidding /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)

John Bud

 

[3rdbase]

Gents,
Excellent post John and Bird. I'm so close to making this deal I would really appreciate your honest opinion, and I'll likely go with the most conservative. The meadow will never be more than 4" tall. It looks like a lawn-no exageration. I will never let it go to legitimate bush hog lengths. For that application, yes or no, can the L3010 handle a six footer or should I opt for the five. Again-sincere thanks for all unbiased opinions.
3rdbase

 

[Anonymous Poster]

{While I'm waiting to do this "brush hogging job" next to a "motel", I can do it now and possibly get arrested for waking everyone up Sunday am, or try to reply some posts briefly..."}

Ok... everyone is right!

First reply, the easiest to John... the Yikes

is from Muhammad's future emoticon collection, along with a few others I'm trying out here...

Second to Tom... Raise your right hand, do you solemnly swear, you'll only cut grass and not let it get over 4"... so help you...?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Then...Yes Tom, that LP 6' rotary cutter will do that job with a 26 PTO HP unit... but just remember... when you're 29 acres away from home... mowing the 4" grass and you get the urge to "stomp the heck" out of that narly nasty brush that's in your way...Don't..., unless of course you happen to have attached a medium duty 5' rotary cutter like a LandPride RCR2560

{or for more value a KingKutter, stretching your dollar a little further...}

And now Bird..., oops... it's past 7am and I've got to move the brush hog down the "highway" before the cars come out and attack... I'll resume when I come back and discuss cutting that New York style 20-30" high & thick hay pasture versus the Texas style xx-xx" hay pasture, using a 6' rotary cutter...

 

[Bird]

Tom, I'm sometimes reluctant to recommend something different from the manufacturer, but the manual for my B2710 calls for a maximum of a 4' rotary cutter, and I had a very good Bush Hog 4' rotary cutter when I bought the tractor; definitely too small (maybe the right size if I was cutting 2" brush). So I'm using a 5' mower. My pasture had not been mowed this year so the coastal bermuda and rye grass was taller than the front tires (a little bit of ragweed and milkweed mixed in). I mowed it in 2WD, mid-range, foot on the floor, and never had an RPM drop at all. In your case, no way would I want anything smaller than 6' (and I'd never want a mower that wasn't wider than the outside of my rear tires). I have a neighbor with 30 acres that he has me mow once a year and some of the Johnson Grass was higher than my head the last time. I did have to go slower in that, but easily did a good job.

Bird

 

[Bird]

John, looks like our timing is close again. And I need to get out and get to work myself./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[Joeinindy]

I have the L3410 with a 6' land pride cutter and it does a great job on everything from overgrown pastures to heavy willow and multiflora rose growth. The dealer recomended the 6' and said the 3010 or the 3410 would handle either one with no problem. The only draw back to the larger unit is getting through and around tight spots. I paid 20,000 for the L3410HST, LA481, HD bucket, folding rops, ballast in rear tires, 6' landpride cutter, 6' landpride rear blade so the price you are getting is fair but not great in my opinion, but it seems like any used Kubota brings near new prices. Good luck.

 

[Boondox]

It sounds like you're not dealing with brush and saplings so much as an overgrown lawn. Do you really need a rotary...or would a rugged finish mower suffice? The reason I'm asking is I use a LP2572 rear discharge finishing mower on my seven acre meadow on the hillside homestead. All the big stuff was long ago bushhogged into oblivion, and besides grass I only have the occasional baby tree to deal with. I'd never use this mower to tackle anything heavy, but like I said there isn't any heavy stuff left.

Anyway, since I just mowed this weekend I can assure you the L3010 can handle a 6' mower on light stuff with no trouble, even on my 22% slope. If I had brambles and small trees to chop up, though, I'd go for a smaller rotary cutter. Hope this helps.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[Von]

Pete,
How often do you cut? And at what height do you set the mower, and how high is the grass? I have been using my rotory cutter here at my shop about once a month, but I used the finish mower the past two times since it was here. It does look alot better but I don't know how long I could go between cuttings. Here is a photo of the hills I am cutting, its very steap so I want to do it as little as possible.

 

[Boondox]

Von -- How often I cut depends on the rainfall. Despite last winter's snowfall this is shaping up to be a dry summer, so mowing will probably be an every third week sort of thing. A couple of summers ago it rained or sprinkled nearly every weekday, so I was mowing every single weekend. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

I never let the grass get higher than a foot tall when I had the old underpowered B1750. Not sure how well Clementine will do, but since I was able to mow up that steep slope with no loss of power my bet is she'll do a much better job. FYI: the RD mower came set at max height, so that's what I used this time. Think I'll drop down a bit next time.

Pete

PS: That sure is some pretty land you've got!

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[3rdbase]

Fellas,
Can't thank you guys enough. I walked it again today and it is just like grass. There isn't anything thicker than clover on it. I appreciate the input about going with a finish mower and have thought about it myself, but decided on the hog because I have two teenage boys who might be able to make a buck or two on other local folks meadows. This area is all estate type places with plenty of mowing to go 'round. Won't let them, (the tractor or the boys), get in over their heads though. If I can get the pricing right, I'll pull the trigger on the deal tomorrow. Maybe then I can participate in helping out someone else in a similar circumstance. Again thanks to y'all. By the way. Regarding the orange/green/blue thing, I think the orange shows scrapes the worst, and the dealer ensured me he would provide some touch up paint-my ex Ford 3415 was waxed at least once/month to maintain it's position as the pride of the halloween parade, so appearance is important. My 14 year old thought the orange was by far the best though-must be a generational thing. Anyway, I can't thank you guys enough. I view a lot of financial sights, and this is far and away the most informative, least inflammatory sight. It has been of immense value to me.
Play hard-play fair-have fun.
3rdbase

 

[kevincook]

I have a L3010 that is great. The only comment I have is on the price. I think you could find the tractor minus the bushhog for about the price the dealer is asking. How much is the bushhog? $800? I think you can get a better deal than $16,800 or maybe it would be worth getting a new tractor and bushhog for $17,600. Good Luck

 

[JayinNH]

3rdbase,
I have the same tractor. Sounds like an offer you can't refuse.
Jason